Mata denies he was even in talks with Spurs, completely ­contradicting the Tottenham manager's claims, let alone snubbed them because they didn't offer him enough money.

Redknapp said recently: "We were in for Mata and close to doing a deal. But he didn't come and Chelsea came in. Obviously they can blow you out of the water wages-wise, and then he changed his mind and they got him. It's all about wages."